Public meeting to discuss proposed wind farm as opposition grows

A public meeting to discuss a six turbine wind farm proposed for the  Ballyfeeney and Tully areas will be held at Kilglass GAA Centre on Sunday (September 28th ) at 7 p.m...

The meeting has been organised by the Ballyffeney Action group.

Members of the public opposed to the proposed wind farm in the county are being encouraged to submit objections to Roscommon County Council.

Ballyfeeny Green Energy Limited has applied for permission to construct and operate a wind farm consisting of six wind turbines. The turbine specification is unconfirmed but will fall within the range outlined by Roscommon County Council, the application said. These options are: tip height of 160m, rotor diameter of 136m and hub height of 92m; tip height of 156m, rotor diameter of 133m and hub height of 90m; or tip height of 159m, rotor diameter of 138m and hub height of 90m.

The location comprises Tully, Ballyfeeney, Pollymount, Bellanamullia, Scramogue, Treanaceeve, Ballyhubert, and Tooreen.

The application is also seeking a permanent onsite 38kV electrical substation of one storey, and the installation of approximately 5.1km of permanent underground electrical cabling.

The process is at the initial pre-validation stage and a decision on the application is due by November 9th.

The Ballyfeeney Action Group is now opposing the project.

Local councillor Valerie Byrne, who along with other councillors is working with the group, has also voiced her opposition to the proposal.

In July, CIlrs Tom Crosby and Byrne called on the local authority to suspend all planning applications for wind turbine developments within the county until the current windfarm planning guidelines are updated.

“This area is not suitable for these turbines. They are too close to houses and the turbines will be in a small little cluster,” she said. 

“These proposed turbines are so high, no one ever thinks about the noise from them or the flicker effect. Those things are very important. We have had people who have had to leave their homes because of them. And is that going to happen again?” She called on the council to give a lot of consideration to the concerns of locals.

“People’s rights need to be taken into account,” the independent councillor said. “The local group has a great committee and the people are trying to stand up for themselves. They have their homes there, and that is where they want to be. They shouldn’t have to move because someone decides they want to put up some turbines.” 

She asked people opposed to the project to submit their objections to the council by the October 19th deadline.